


No Rest for the Wicked

by greenikat89



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Community: tfa_kink, Darth Tantrum and his Evil Space Ginger, Force Ghosts, Gen, Humor, Hux Has No Chill, Hux is Not Nice, Hux-centric, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren is Not Nice, M/M, Snark, hux needs a break
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-13 00:45:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9098056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenikat89/pseuds/greenikat89
Summary: Inspired by TFA_Kinkmeme: Kylo finally manages to get himself killed. Hux, when he finds out, is secretly relieved -- the other Knights are much more palatable. Sure, Ren was truly a power unmatched, a terror on the battlefield, and his ability to tear information right out of someone's head was, at times, an asset, but ultimately stability would benefit the Order much more in the war ahead. With Ren gone, the balance of power has shifted in Hux's favor - and, well, one commander is better than two. The crew has a mandatory mourning, Hux makes a few platitudes, and life moves on.Only it doesn't. It turns out when Force users die, they can't just fuck off into nothingness like everyone else. And for whatever reason - despite being as Force sensitive as a rock - Hux can perceive him, the galaxy's most inept poltergeist. He's the only one who can. Even Snoke, and his replacement Knight, don't seem to be aware of Kylo's.... lingering presence.Hux is not amused.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I watched Rogue One and thought, "You know what this movie needs? More Hux." So here we are with the bug again writing something new that should be short.

Hesitant knocking on his door pulled Hux out of some documents he’d been reading at his desk. The holofiles of battle plans disappeared with a push of a button as Hux stood and walked over towards his door. The hour was late and he had hoped for some time to himself before being back on alpha shift.

“Lieutenant Mitaka,” he said neutrally to cover his surprise when the door slid open. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the bridge?”

The other man jerked his head once in acknowledgement. “Sir, yes but I – ah, I have some urgent news,” he stuttered over his words. His expression was pinched, eyes skittering everywhere but looking directly at his commanding officer.

Hux took a step back in a silent invitation to let Mitaka in. The Lieutenant was normally a composed, competent individual so the shift in behavior was unusual. The General sat back at his desk, hands steepled atop the polished surface while he waited for Mitaka to start talking. The other man fidgeted nervously, the silence stretching out and wearing as thin as Hux’s patience with the matter. “Well?” he prompted with an undercurrent of exasperation.

“Right,” the Lieutenant said as if more to himself before straightening up. “As you know, Lord Kylo Ren of the Knights of Ren was dispatched to a undisclosed location for an espionage mission as per Supreme Leader Snokes’ orders,” Mitaka started off with just a minor tremble in his voice. “His shuttle returned eight hours ago.”

“Well then inform Ren that he can explain to Snoke why he failed to be at the officer’s meeting he should have attended this morning,” Hux said irritably. The Knight’s chair had been noticeably absent this morning when he should have had critical information to report back on. “Honestly, Lieutenant, despite what it may look like I’m not Ren’s handler. I don’t need to be kept up to date on his whereabouts when-”

“He can’t,” Mitaka blurted out effectively cutting Hux off mid-sentence. “Lord Ren has died.”

“He’s what?”

“I’m so sorry, General,” Mitaka babbled on and looked down at Hux with a mix of worry and fear. “The medical droids did their best but Lord Ren was already dead on arrival from the grievous wounds he’d sustained from his mission.”

Hux leaned back in his chair with a carefully blank expression. So that idiot Kylo had finally managed to get himself killed. Something coiled tight within him loosened at the news and Hux was mildly surprised to find it was relief that he wouldn’t have to constantly struggle for power anymore. The other Knights were much more palatable than Ren ever was.

Sure, Ren was truly a power unmatched, a terror on the battlefield, and his ability to tear information right out of someone's head was, at times, an asset, but ultimately stability would benefit the Order much more in the war ahead. With Ren gone, the balance of power had shifted in Hux's favor -- and, well, one commander was better than two.

Mitaka politely cleared his throat and Hux realized he’d been lost in thought whilst making plans for a more efficient leadership structure. The Lieutenant was still looking at him with that off expression of concern. “Well, nothing to be done about it,” Hux said crisply. As if he blamed his crew for Ren’s reckless death. “Tell the crew to prepare for the mandatory mourning period.” Maybe he could get away with a week of it so normal plans on the ship weren’t thrown off too much.

“I’ll make the necessary preparations myself, Sir.” He hovered over the doorway to look back at Hux. “What would…what would you like to do about the body?”

Hux’s blank expression collapsed into a narrow-eyed scowl. They could jettison it out into space for all he cared. “I’m sure you’ll take the appropriate actions,” he said instead.

 

* * *

 

In the end they had cremated Ren and put the ashes in a large, black box along with Darth Vader’s helmet and a datapad, which apparently had no less than fifty files on what people were to do if Ren unexpectedly died. “I’m not taking that,” Hux nearly growled when Mitaka accosted him in a hallway and tried to hand him the box.

“Sir, I know this is a hard time for you, what with you leaving the bridge so soon after that touching speech-”

“I had another officer’s meeting to go to and that stupid eulogy Snoke insisted I do almost made me late-” Hux cut in.

“- but this was Lord Ren’s wishes,” the shorter man continued on doggedly and firmly pressed the box back into Hux’s hands. “He had a long list of directions on what needed to be done in case of his untimely demise.”

“Ren had a long list of directions for _everything,_ Lieutenant,” Hux muttered and shoved the box back into the other man’s hands. “That doesn’t mean we need to follow them. He’s dead.”

“Sir,” Mitaka said gently. He looked up at Hux with a mix of concern and understanding. He’d been doing it ever since he’d informed Hux that Ren had died. “Sir, it’s okay to take time to grieve for someone you loved.”

“ _What?_ ” Hux said in shocked outrage. “That is _preposterous_.” As if he would have any such feelings for that infantile, infuriating, destructive kriffing Knight.

“Denial is the first step towards acceptance, General,” Mitaka said again in that same galling, gentle voice. “I’ll let you have some time alone so you can compose yourself.” And with that he made a neat heel turn and quickly walked back the way he came.

It was only after Mitaka had turned a corner that Hux realized he’d somehow had that kriffing box held between his hands again. He could feel a vein pulse behind his eye that always indicated a headache was coming on. Even in death, Ren still seemed to hold that power over him to make Hux lose his temper.

The General breathed out hard through his nose and drew back into himself. He could correct Lieutenant Mitaka on his erroneous assumptions later. He had urgent business to take care of with Supreme Leader Snoke and the new Knight that was to take Ren’s place. The meeting he was probably going to be late to thanks to the Lieutenant delaying him with Ren’s…well, remains and artifacts. What was he even supposed to do with it? He certainly wasn’t going to cart it all over the ship.

Mind made up he pressed a button and a panel of the hallway wall slid open. Without a second thought he dumped the box down the chute to the trash compactor. The panel slid closed with a small hiss before seamlessly blending into the wall again. The matter settled, Hux strode towards his meeting and hoped the new Knight was someone he could work with (or control if it came down to it).


End file.
